Sectional apron drier



Oct. 17, 1933.

A. O. HURXTHAL SECTIONAL APRON DRIER Filed March 25, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l patented oct. 1933 I a V UNITED STATES. PATENT" oFFICE to Proctor & Schwartz,"Incorporated-Philadelphia -Pa acorporation of, Pennsylvania Application March: 25, l930. Serial No. 438,826

' 11 Clair 11 s. (01.53.4 12? This invention relates to apparatus for dry-. by" the' frames-of Ithe'i separate sections of the I ing or otherwise treating. plastic materials such apron will'be released from the lugs. on the'f aspaints, pigments, chemicals, etc. I I propelling'chains, and the sectipnssuspended in The apparatus in general is similar to that vertical relation to each"other on the movable" shown and described in my co-pending applicaf I supports. "The propelling chains after deposit I60 tion, Serial No. 370,662, filed June 13, 1929, inganapron seotion on and at one endof'theli I which has matured into Patent No. 1,777,972 in movable supports, Q'travelfin a plane below their i which the material to'the treated is 'jpressd movable,suppdrtsfltofthe opposite end thereof} into the openings of an endless foraminous con' Where the lug'sf'pick up the. leading apron secveyer apron, which is provided with gifrts ex tion on'thejmo'vable supports, removing it from- 5 tending beyond the longitudinal side ed es of 1 the movable supports and. propelling it through the conveyer in order that the apron may be the apparatus, all as will be fully disclosed hereformed into loops, the loops being suspended a ter, reierence being had to the p y n from thegirts which rest on relatively slow movdrawings, of which: I I j v ing horizontally extending supports'disposed Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic longitudinal sectional 70 adjacent the opposite side edges of the apron. I elevation of an apparatus for treating plastic The girts are of necessity spaced relatively materials and showing my invention:as'app1ied I far apart to avoid sharp bendsin the apron or thereto; I r A to prevent undue flexing of the aproninpro Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic transverse sectional 2 0 ducing the loops, such sharp flexing 'of the elevation taken onthe line 22, Fig.1; 7 apron, withsome kinds of rriaterial,'ha'i1ing'aj II Fig. 3 is a dia rammatic sectional'plan view tendency to loosen the material to such an ex. a en on t eli 'e 3-3, i 1'; tent that itfalls from the conveyer apron. The I Fi 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional ele relatively wide spacing of the girts on the movvation showing an apron section hanging in a able supports requires a relatively largech'am v vertical positionI'on the movable supports, the ber for treating a given amount of material at section being taken on the line if-4, Fig. 3; I I one ti I Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, sectional elevation The object of the present invention is to mintaken on the line 55,' Fig. 3, and imize the flexing of vthe apron and to conserve Fig- 6 is a'n enlarged-detail bf the invention.

30 space in the treating chamber. I In d w g a u t 'caingis d a r mm- 85 These objects are attained by forming the matically illustrated at 1. Rotatably mounted apron of a series of separate units or sections, W h the Casing 1 and extending transversely each being of a suitable length,.and permanentthereof is a plurality 'of shafts 2, 3, 5 and 6. I 1y attaching one end of each section to acarrye A180 mounted in each Side Of the Casing a d in ing pole, or frame, by which the sections of axial alignment ,With each oth r ii; a pa 0f 90 the apron may be each supported in a Ver'tical ort, shafts 4, 4. On theopD v ends of eachiposition and in relatively close relation to each of e h 'O Shafts ,3, d 6 a e Securedother, the carrying frames extendingtransversesp ck 7, 10 3 1 p v ly, and on 1y of th n n'd b i adapted to b Ian the short shafts 4, 4 at theopposite sides of i 40 gaged at their opposite ends by propelling lugs the casing l are sprockets 9, 9 pectively; 95

carried by endless propelling chains located ad? s i g ELTOUYIId the DI' at ach SideOf jacent the opposite sideedges o f .the apron. re the casing is a'propelling'chain l2. 1

spectively.

I I I 'Betw'een the propell'ngchains 12, 12 is a'ma- I These propellingchains are adaptedltorun terial-carrying conveyer apron 15 which t m:

substantially parallel to each other'throughout. prises a'series'off ridg'e supporting frames 16,I1 6 100 the apparatus for drawing ,the apron sections having projections in the formsof trunnions through the apparatus. The propelling lugs are 17, 17 at their respective opposite ends. I I positioned on the I endless propelling chains at Se'curedto each of I the frames 16' is one end I spaced intervals substantiallyequal to the f aflex bl foramlnous apron section 20, the,j

length of one of the sections of theapron. ,The body portion of which is simil ar, in construction 105 carrying or supporting frames extend beyond to the foraminous con'veyer shown and described he ide edges of the apron sections and beyond in my pending application, 'senar No. 305,539," I the propelling chains in a manner to be brought I filed September 12, ,1928. I I to rest on apair, of horizontally movable-supports On the propellingichains 12, 12 ati" inte rvals' disposed outside theqpropellingchaina where spaced substantially equal to the length or oneillo of the apron sections 20, is apair of propelling lugs 18, 18 respectively, which are adapted to engage respectively the trunnions 17, 17 on the frames 16, so that the chains 12, 12 and the apron sections 20, 20 carried therebetween will move through a portion of the apparatus the same as a continuous flat conveyer, the free back end 21 of each apron section occupying a position immediately adjacent the forward edge 22 of the frame 16 of the next successive apronsection 20. r

The empty apron sections 20, of the conveyer 15, are adapted to be carried successively around and over the top of a roller 26,- which is mounted on the shaft 2, while the propeller chains 12,

12 pass aroundv the sprockets 7, 7 on the said shaft. 3 I v i The apron sections 20 are then passed in a substantially horizontal plane through a suitable pasting mechanism 25, where the material 3:, in ,a plastic state,'is pressed into the openings 24 (see'Fig. 4) of each of the successively pre- "sented apron sections 20.

v ea.

After the material to be treated has been pressed into the conveyer sections 20- thesaid loaded sections pass under and partly around a roller 27, which is mounted on the shaft 3 between the sprockets 8,, 8 thereon, while the propeller chains 12, 12 pass around the sprock ets 8, 8, on the said shaft,

Each apron section 20, after'passingunder the roller 27, assumes a substantially vertical plane and is supported therein'by' its 'gi1't'16,

- which in turn is supported and carried by the The trunnions 17, 17. of the apron section lie on the lugs 18 between" the chains 12, 12andverticallydisposed guides propeller chains 12, 12.

28 located at opposite sides of and in one end of the casing 1. e v

The frames 16 are successively raised in this vertical plane until the rear end 21 of the conveyer section 20 carried by each girt has passed completely from under the roller 27, whereupon the girt 16 is carried over the top of the sprocket wheels 9, 9 on the short shafts 4, 4.

As each frame 16 passes around the upper sideof the sprockets 9, 9 the loaded'apron'section 20 supported thereby is maintained in a vertical plane and while in this position the apron section 20 is transferred bodily in a direction substantially longitudinal of the casing 1, from one side of the axis of rotation of the sprockets 9, 9to a position at the opposite side of said axis, the short shafts 4, 4 disposed re-- spectively at opposite sides of the casing 1 being spaced a sufficient distance apart to permit the apron section 20 to pass therebetween'.

After the frame 16 passes over the top of the sprockets 9, 9 the outer ends of the trunnions 17, 17 of the frame, which extends beyond the propeller chains 12, -12, engage inclined guides 29, 29 disposed respectively at the opposite sides of the casing 1, and as the chains 12, 12 move forward over the sprockets 9, 9 the frame 16 is "permitted to slide easily down the inclined guides 29, 29, until the-outer ends of thetrunnions 17, 17 of the frame come to rest on relatively slow movingv supports 30, disposed respectively at opposite sides of the casing 1. In this manner the frame trumiions 17., 17 are released from the lugs 18, 18 of the propeller chains 12, 12.

The slowly moving supports 30, 30 in the present instance, comprise sprocket chains which pass around sprocket wheels 31, 31 mounted on 'the transversely extending short shafts 4, 4

located at opposite sides of the casing 1, the" chains 30, 30 passing also around sprockets 33, 33 mounted on the transversely extending through shaft 5 disposed at the opposite end of the casing 1.

The supporting chains 30, 30 are adapted to be driven by anysuitable means and at any predetermined rate of speed relative .to the rate of speed of travel of the propelling chains 12, 12,

the relation of the speed of travel of the propelling chains and that of the supporting chains 30, 30 determining the relative spacing of the apron'sections 20, 20 on the moving supports 30, 30.

- After the trunnions 17, 17 of a frame 16 have been released from the propeller lugs 18,

; 18 and deposited on the movable supports 30, '30 the chains 12, 12 pass downwardly and under sprockets 34, 34, thence parallel to the supports 30, 30 and around sprockets 35, 35 as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

As the leading section 20 approaches the delivery end of the casing 1 the propelling lugs 18, 18 on the propeller'chains 12, 12, as the chains pass upwardly from the sprockets-35 to and around the sprocketslO, 10 on the shaft 5,

engage the trunnions 17, 17 of the leading frame 16, whereupon the said leading frame is raised Obviously, the movof which the ends of the trunnion 17 may be deposited and carried longitudinally of the easing '1, if desired, or any other suitable forrn of movable support may be provided which will carry the sections 20 of the conveyer 15 in spaced relation to each other through the casing 1.

During the passage of the conveyer sections 20 through the casing" 1 the material carried by the said sections is subjected to a drying or other suitable treatment orprocessing and is thereby made ready'to be removed from the conveyer 15.

After passing over'the sprockets 10, 10 the frame 16 is fed downwardly in the casing, between a pair of substantially vertically disposed guides 41 and 42, there being a pair of such guides adjacentv each of the opposite sides of the casing 1, these guides being so-positioned with; respect to the conveyer 15 that they engage the various conveyer sections 20 inwardly of and immediately adjacent the longitudinal side edges thereof, as shown in Fig.2, so that as each conveyer section 20 moves downwardly in the casing 1, with the frame 16 thereof leading the particular section 20 to which the frame is 14..

attached, the said conveyer section will be supported in a substantially vertical plane, preventing the section from collapsing and falling into a heap at the bottom of the casing.

While in'position between the guides 41 and 3 a 42 the conveyer section 20 is subjected to a tapping or heating operation effected by a suitable beater 45 which is adapted to be intermittently moved away-from the conveyer section and then permitted to :strike the. said conveyer.

section a sharp blow, in order to beat-the ma terial out of the openings of the conveyer section, the material falling into a suitable hopper 46 at the bottom of the casing, the hopper being provided with a feed screw 47 which is adapted to remove the material from the casing. 1.

Adjacent the lower end of the casing the propeller chains 12, 12 pass around the sprockets 11, 11 on the shaft 6 thereby carrying theframe 16 around said sprockets and around a roller 48 mounted on the shaft 6 intermediate thesprockets 11, 11 thereon, the body of the apron section attached tothe frame 16 passing around the roller 48 and onto a horizontally disposed platform or partition 50, located in the casing 1 near the bottom thereof, by the lugs 18 on the propeller chains 12 engaging the trunnions 17, 17 of the frame 16. I

As the chains 12, 12 move horizontally over theplatform the conveyersections 20 are drawn by their frames 16 along the partition or floor 50 and return to the feed end of the apparatus, at which the shaft 2 and roller '7 are located. The platform 50 is curved up-' Wardly and around the roller 26 and sprockets '7, 7, as illustrated at 51 tomaintain contact be.-

tween the lugs 18 and the frame trunnions 17,

while the conveyer sections are being carried around the roller 26.

From the above description, it will be apparent that from the time the material is placed in the sections 20 of the conveyer 15 until the process cl material is finally removed from such sections at the delivery end of the appa ratus the loaded apron sections are subjected to but one flexing operation and this is effected over a roller having such a relatively large di-- ameter that very little relative flexing between the components of the conveyer section occurs, consequently the tendency of the material to fall from the conveyer sections before the pro cessing has been completed is reduced to a minimum. o v g It will also be obvious from the above description that considerable space is saved in the drying chamber by my being able to arrange the sections of the conveyer relatively close to each I claim:

1. In an apparatus for treating plastic material, a forarninous conveyer comprisinga plurality of separate sections, propelling means separate from the sections for advancing the sections in endto end relation through a portion oi the apparatus, and a second propelling means separate from the first said propelling meansand separate from the sections for advancing the sections through another portion of the apparatus in substantially parallel side by side relation to each other. i

2. In an apparatus for treating'plastic material, a feraminous conveyer comprising a plurality of separate sectiona'each having a later ally extending projection on each of its oppositely disposed side edges at one end of the section, propelling means separate from the sec tions and adapted 'to engage, the projections thereon for advancing the sections in end to end relation through a portion of the apparatus, and a second propelling meansseparate from the through a portion oithe apparatus, a second propelling means separate from the'first said propelling means and separate from the sections and adapted to engage the projections thereon for advancing the' sections through another I portion of the apparatus in substantially parallel side by side relation to each other, and means adapted to engage the said projections for transferring said sections from one to the other of said propelling" means. 1

5. In an apparatus for treating plastic material, a foraminous conveyer comprising a plu-- I rality ofseparate sections, each having a lateri I ally eXtending'pro-jection' on each of its oppo-' sitely disposed side edges at one end of the section, propelling means separate from the sections and adapted to engage the projections thereon for advancing the sections in end to end relation and in a substantially horizontal plane through a portion of the apparatus, and a sec- 1 0nd propelling means separate from the f rst said propelling means and separate from the sections and adapted toengage the projections thereon for advancing the sections through another portion of the apparatus vertical substantially parallel planes in side by side relation to each other. i

' 6. In an apparatus for treating plastic material, a foraminous conveyer comprising a plusitely disposed side edges at one end of the section,propel1ing means separate from the sections and adaptedto engage the projections thereon for advancing the sections in end to end relation and in a substantially horizontal plane through a portion of the apparatus, a second propelling means separate from the first said propelling means and separate from the sections and adapted to engage the projections thereon for advancing the sections through another portion of the apparatus in vertical substantially parallel planes inside by side relation to each other, means for guiding said sections from the said horizontal plane into the said vertical plan and means for transferring the sections fromone to the other of said propelling means while the sections are in a vertical plane.

'7. In an apparatus for treating plastic material, a foraminous conveyer comprising a plurality of separate sections, each having alaterally extending projection on each of its oppositely disposed' side edges at one end of the section,

propelling means separate from the sections and adapted to engage the projections thereon'for advancing the sections in end to end relation and in a substantially horizontal plane through a portion of the apparatus, a second propelling .means separate from the first said propelling means and separate from the sections and adapted to engage the projections thereon for advancingthe sections through another portion of the apparatus in vertical substantially parallel planes in side by side relation to each; other, means at one end of the apparatus for guiding said sections from the said horizontal plane into the said vertical plane, means for transferring the sections from one to the other of said. propelling means while the sections are in a vertical plane, and means at the opposite end of the apparatus for transferring the said sections from the side by side relation on the second said propelling means to the said end propelling means and separate from the sections and adapted to engage the projections thereon for advancing the sections through another portion of the apparatus in vertical substantially parallel planes in side by side relation to each other, means at one end of the apparatus for guiding said sections from the said horizontal plane into the said vertical plane,

means for transferring the sections from oneto the other of said propelling means while the sections are in a vertical plane, means at the opposite end of the apparatus for transferring the said sections from the side by side relation on the second said propelling means to the said end to end relation on the first said propelling means, and means for guiding said sections into the said horizontal, plane. Y

9. In an apparatus for treatingplastic material, a foraminous conveyer comprising a plurality of separate sections, each having a laterally extending projection on each of its oppositely disposed sides at one end of the section, propelling means for said sections comprising a pair of endless chains disposed respectively ad- 1,931,4'sii jacent the oppositely disposed longitudinal side edges of the conveyer, lugs on the said propelling chains adapted to engage the said projections on the separate conveyer sections, and a second propelling means separate 'from the first said propelling means and movablein a path inter secting the path of travel of the first said propelling chains for engaging the projections on the conveyer sections. i

1G. Inan apparatus for treating plastic material, a forarninous conveyer comprising a plurality of separate sections each having a laterally extending projection on each of its oppositely disposed sides at one end of the section, propelling means for said sections comprising a pair of endless chains disposed respectively adjacent the oppositely disposed longitudinal side edges of the conveyer, lugs on the said propelling chains adapted to engage'the said projections on the separate conveyer sections, a second pro pelling means separate from the first said pro- 7 pelling means and movable in a path intersecting the path of travel of the first said propelling chains for engaging the projections on the conveyer sections, and means for transferring the separate conveyer sections from the first said propelling means to the second said propelling means.

11. In an apparatus for treating plastic material, a ioraminous conveyer comprising a plurality of separate sections each having a laterally extending projection on each of its oppositely disposed sides at one end of the section, propelling means for said sections comprising a pair of endless chains disposed respectively adjacentthe oppositely disposed longitudinal side edges of the conveyer, lugs on the said propelling chains adapted to engage the said projections on the separate conveyer sections, a second propelling means separate from the first said propelling means and movable in a path intersecting the path of travel of the first said propelling chains for engaging the projections on the conveyer sections, means for transferring the separate conveyer sections from the first said propelling means to the second said propelling means, means for supporting the independent conveyer sections in end to end relation with respect to each other while under control of they first said propelling means, and means for supporting the said sections in substantially par-. allel side by side relation to each other while under the control of the second said propelling means. 7

' ALPHEUS O. HURXTHAL. 

